A Terror-ific Evening
by PureRoyalNative
Summary: Claire and Leon have found themselves trapped at the Racoon City R.P.D. that has been over run with the undead and other unknown horrific creatures. Possibly being their last night alive the two find themselves debating the morals of spending a moment of passion with someone they only just met. Rated M for sexual content. Resident Evil 2/RM.
1. Chapter 1

Writers Note: This is one of my favorite video game pairs of all time. It has taken me a long time to think of how I wanted these two to finally have a sexual encounter together and though the location is simple enough I really wanted to get into the characters head space for this one. As always I am open to feedback, comments, and suggestions. I hope you enjoy!

(September 29th, 1998)

Claire and Leon have become trapped at the Raccoon City Police Department. Having already dealt with an infestation of undead along side a car crash, a helicopter crash was the last thing they were expecting. Exploding through a wall of the station, it catches both of their attentions. Leon from inside the station and Claire from outside in the garden. They both rush to the scene to check up on what has happened. They find nothing but smoke and fire.

Claire sees Leon from the broken, second story, window and her heart expands with relief to see that his is okay. Her entire journey from the crash to the station she can't deny that she had doubts about ever seeing the silky haired rookie again in one piece. After all, he admitted this is only his first day. Even if he was the top ace of his class, stepping out from a controlled environment into the real world is a much different story. She should know. All those training sessions she spent at the firing range with her brother were nothing compared to pulling the trigger on those zombies back at the gas station. It's do or die out here. She only hopes she wont have to make the hard decision of taking him out if he becomes infected or vise versa. She shakes the thought from her mind. She has to remain confident. They are going to get out of here, together.

"Leon?" She calls up to him.

He turns towards her voice and right away becomes overjoyed to find her looking up at him with wide eyes and a toothy grin.

"Claire?" He runs out of the hall onto the metal fire escape to greet her. "Hold on! I'll be right there!"

She nods. "Okay."

He hurries down the metal steps taking little care to the fact that the rain has made them slippery, only to discover that the two of them are separated by a tall, gated, fence that has razor wire lining the top. Claire has her arm through the mail slot trying to open the gate from the inside. It doesn't budge.

"Shit! I can't get it open," she huffs.

"Let me take a look at it."

She pulls her hand back through, then grips the fence, as she watches him impatiently to open it. Struggling to see through the rain dripping from his brow and into his eyes, he studies the lock. There is no release.

He huffs, "It can only be opened with a key."

"Shit." Claire turns her attention to the razor wire. "Maybe we can find something to cut down that wire and then I can just hop over."

He follows her glance and notices the wire is heavily tied down. They could cut it but it would take too much time. "Maybe, but I think I have a better idea." He directs her attention to the side of the building to his right. "Just down that way are some windows that have been shattered. If we both follow the wall of this hallway it will be only a matter of time before I can lift you through one of them. What do you say?"

She gives the area a quick look over. The task seems simple enough, except for the line of bushes that she would have to shift through. On a normal day she would find it no big deal to rustle through something like that, but today who knows what might be lurking inside them and ready to pounce at any second.

Not wanting to worry him, she finds her confidence and says, "Sounds like a plan. I'll be happy just to get out of this freezing rain."

She readies herself to move but Leon stops her. "Claire!"

She turns back to him and waits for what he has to say. Instead he slips his arm through the mail slot and holds his hand out to her. Without hesitation she grips onto his elbow and allows him to do the same. They are now face to face. Only the thin strip of chain-link fence separates them from a full embrace. Claire can feel her body temperature rise a bit even in the cold as she stares into Leon's soft, blue, eyes. They are telling her that he can't stand to be away from her for even a second. It is a look no person has ever shown her before and she becomes worried that if she looks away she will never get to experience it ever again.

"What is it?" She asks curiously.

"It's just... be careful. Okay? I don't want to see anything happen to you," he says all of this without ever taking his eyes off hers.

Claire's heart leaps up into her throat. She can't believe that he is expressing the same exact feelings for her that she has for him. This is fate. They were destined to meet one another. Why it had to be in a zombie infested city is beyond anyone's guess but there is no denying their chemistry.

The grip they have on each other tightens as they pull themselves towards one another. Their lips are so close to caressing. Only that half an inch between the diamond shaped hole separates them. If they both were to pucker their lips they would be able to just barely fit them through. It wouldn't be much of a kiss but it would be better than no kiss at all. They feel each other's hot breath caress their faces. The rain continues to try and interfere, but they both just let the moisture drip from their chins. Their eyes close. If they lean in just a teeny bit more...

A sudden explosion jumps them from the second floor. The helicopter has become engulfed in flames. The fire alarm sounds spreading a ear piercing ring throughout the area.

"Damn it! You know what that means," says Leon.

"Yeah. Dinner time," Claire adds.

Giving them no time to change their strategy, they become immediately surrounded by a hoard of zombies slumping from the city streets. Claire looks to Leon with obvious fear spread over her face. Leon grips his fingers hard onto the gate wishing with all his might that he could just rip it away and pull her through. The sad truth fills his chest with grief.

"Stay alive, Claire," he begs.

"Ditto," she replies while giving him a soft wink before disappearing along the wall of the building.

Once she is out of sight he is finally able to recollect himself and move forward. His heart races, finding her incredible due to her ability to take all of this so well. He can't help but want to know more about her, but now is not the time. Next to the door on his right is a lock cutter which he uses to unchain the previously inaccessible door. Stepping through, he wipes the rain from his face and finds himself back in the hallway where he witnessed a fellow officer being ripped in half. Keeping his mind on Claire, he keeps his eyes looking straight ahead. Suddenly remembering that he already boarded up one of the windows he told Claire about he kicks himself for leaving out that detail.

He approaches the East Office doorway and uses the lock cutter on the chain to get inside. He slowly pushes the door open and readies his side arm to inspect the room. It is clear. Even with the room's window broken it seems that no zombies have wondered their way inside.

He makes his way around to the window and sticks his head through to search for Claire. It's hard to see through the darkness and rain but he is sure that if she were out there he would be able to spot her red jacket. He can still hear the fire alarm echoing off the city buildings. His eyes scan tirelessly but she is nowhere to be found. He tries to call out to her but like some cruel joke from the gods a thunder strike cracks through the sky muffling his voice. He tries again and once again the thunder cuts him off. His heart sinks. All he can think is in only the few minuets that they have been apart, something had to have happened to her. There is no way that she wouldn't be here already if it hadn't.

Unsure what to do, he glances back and forth between the office and the window. Should he jump out into the night to look for her or should he continue his journey through the station? Maybe she found her way inside some other way and is now just waiting for him to catch up to her. He can't help but think that something must have grabbed her. As strong and as confident as she is, she is still just as inexperienced as he is.

"Stop it, Leon!" He fights his thoughts. "Claire is alive. There is no way she wouldn't take every precaution."

A rustling from the bushes catches his attention. At first he is excited thinking it has to be her. "Claire?" When he doesn't hear her say anything back he lifts up his gun and aims it into the darkness. The rustling continues. His heart races. He tells himself not to pull the trigger until he is sure that whatever pops through is malicious. A few more seconds of rustling before he sees some kind of mass peering through the leaves. His hands shake as he continues to tell himself he can't fire just yet. A hand slowly pokes its way through the bush, followed by an arm. It is that of a woman but there is no sign of the red sleeve of Claire's jacket. He readies his hand on the trigger. He recognizes the empty expression that peers at him from the darkness. Just another unfortunate person who has been turned. He is about to take her down when suddenly the loud burst from a handgun rings out and causes the body to fall limp from the bushes. The zombie had no lower jaw which he assumes is why she had not been making any telltale growling or hissing noises.

Claire finally appears before him from the brush and he quickly pulls his gun away. Taking deep breaths, she forces out a smile then sets her gun into its holster.

"See? No big deal," she jokes.

Leon lets out a relieved sigh then puts his fire arm away. He reaches his hands through the window to help her inside. Being careful not to let the glass touch anything but the soles of her shoes, he puts his upper muscle strength to use and lifts her through the window frame. Once her feet are firmly planted on the floor, the two of them wrap their arms around one another in a tight embrace. Leon places his hand against the back of her soaked ponytail and holds her head against his shoulder. The floral scent of her hair fills his nose and he can't help but to breathe her deep into himself. She wraps her arms around his waist and enjoys the feeling of his warm body against her cold skin.

"When I didn't see you at the window... I was so worried something had happened to you," his voice is tight as he tries to hold back the fact that if he were to let himself, he could cry at this very moment.

"I'm sorry. I ran into some trouble just after leaving the garden. I had to play it quiet or else I would have drawn the attention of every zombie in the area."

He loosens his grip realizing he is almost smothering her. They look into each other's eyes once again..

"That's alright. All that matters now is you're safe," his voice has once again turned into the tone of a cop. A little less personal, but Claire understands that he is still one the job.

As they look into one another, they find themselves back in that blissful moment when they had almost kissed. They fight their instincts realizing that now is not the time for such emotions.

"Come on. We have to keep moving," Leon says as if giving orders to a fellow police officer.

"Leon wait!" Claire blurts out.

He turns back to her quickly. Worried she might be hurt. "What is it?"

She sighs, "This is going to sound silly but... I'm really hungry right now." She places her hands over her belly and feels it grumble hard.

As if mimicking her his belly growls too. "Now that you mention it, so am I." He thinks to himself for a moment. "I'm pretty sure I saw some vending machines out in this hallway earlier. Maybe we can get something from them. Let's go."

Claire helps him to pull the barricade from the doorway then follows close behind as they make their way through the hall. Sure enough two large vending machines with their lights flickering sit idly against the far wall. Normally neither of them would allow themselves to indulge in such high calorie sweets due to keeping up with their physiques, but tonight is to be the exception.

Leon leans his elbow up against the candy machine as if he's some kind of model and presents her the choices within.

"So what's your poison? A smooth, creamy, Kit-Kat? A crispy, salty, bag of Lays potato chips? Maybe a stick of gum to chew things over?" He chuckles.

"Don't tell me you have a roll of quarters inside one of those fancy pockets," she teases.

"Well no..." he says disappointed.

Claire laughs, "Stand back stud. I've always wanted to do this."

She turns around and picks up the metal folding chair behind her. She lifts it up at her side, then like a baseball bat swings it at the machine, and shatters its glass casing.

"Yeah!" She cheers.

"Not exactly subtle, but effective," he says impressed.

She chuckles while handing him an armful of snacks, "Come on. Fill your pack so we can hurry up to the S.T.A.R.S. Office."

"You mean you know where it is?"

With a mouthful of chocolate she answers him, "Yeah. I came here to meet up with my brother once. He buried himself in paper work and ended up missing our dinner date, but there was no way I was leaving town without seeing him. So I surprised him by showing up here."

"I bet he really appreciated that." Claire can tell by the tone of his voice that what Leon really wanted to say was that _he_ would appreciate it if she were to do that for him, but common courtesy has kept him from letting it slip out. He clears his throat realizing she wasn't fooled by his attempt to mask his feelings. "I hope we can find out where he is."

"I'm sure he'll have left me a note on his desk. Let's go."

She takes him by the hand and leads him towards the stairs to the second floor. Leon tries to hide the fact that he is blushing by brushing his palm against his nose and hopes that she doesn't notice. They hurry up the steps taking care for any unknowns but the hall is eerily quiet with nothing but the sound of the rain trickling against the windows.

With their side arms at the ready they turn the knob to the office then quickly step inside. To their relief the room is brightly lit and appears to have no internal damage of any kind. After locking the door behind them, they holster their guns and begin searching the desks for ammo and clues on the location of Claire's brother.

She heads straight for his desk and frantically looks through each drawer. After only a few minutes of searching she comes up empty handed and slams her fist down on the desk.

"Damn it," she grumbles.

"Is everything okay?" Leon asks as he steps over to her side.

She closes her eyes and lets out a hard sigh as she fights to hold back her tears of frustration. "There's nothing here. Not a single note saying where he might have gone. I just don't get it. My brother would never just leave without telling me _something_."

"Maybe there is something you over looked. A memo, just something he scribbled down-"

"No! I've looked over everything in and around this desk three times over. He's just gone."

"What about the lockers? Could he have left something in one of those?"

Leon points to the far wall. As her eyes follow the line of his arm her face lights up.

"Oh yeah. I didn't think of that. Thanks, Leon!" She hurries over to it and from within finds a small book. She jumps with joy. "Look! It's his journal! Maybe he wrote something down!" She flips through to the end of the entries and sure enough he has left a note specifically for her. "Here it is!"

"That's great! What does it say?"

She looks at the page confused. "Huh? It says here that he left for a special assignment... in Europe. He says he's heading to the Umbrella Headquarters... and that he is sorry he couldn't tell me in person." She looks up at Leon with worry in her eyes. "Why would he do this?"

Leon shrugs. "He's a S.T.A.R.S. officer. Those guys go on all kinds of crazy operations."

"But why wouldn't he tell me he was leaving? Why leave me in the dark for me to worry like this?" She lowers her head as tears begin to slip down her cheeks.

Leon places his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Claire, I am sure your brother had a good reason for doing what he did. You can't hold it against him. If he's even half the man you make him out to be then I am sure he is just fine. You'll see him again soon enough."

She wipes away the tears from her cheeks but more just take their place.

"I know," she sniffles, "I just miss him so much," her whimpers turn into full fledged crying.

Leon pulls her in for an embrace and hushes her. "Hey, come on now. None of that."

Hyperventilating for a moment, Claire struggles to catch her breath. "I'm sorry."

He hushes her again. Even though she is crying he can't help but find the moment euphoric. It's as if they are long time friends seeing each other's true selves for the first time. He has always imagined what a moment like this would be like having never experienced it first hand before. Now that he is, he can feel the beauty in its entirety washing over him, and he's not sure how he ever lived without it.

"It's okay," he whispers to her. "It's been a long night, but I assure you it will all be over soon. We just have to keep moving."

She looks up at him with her face soaked in tears. "Leon, I don't think I can keep going like this."

"Sure you can. In fact I know you can. You just need a moment to get your head on straight."

"No. I need to rest. If I don't, I'm afraid I might pass out. My head, it's all... dizzy." She holds her palm against her forehead.

"But we're not safe here. What can we possibly..." He turns his attention to the caged off room at the back of the office. 'If it is secure enough to hold weapons then surely it is strong enough to protect them from any intruders.' "Come on. I have an idea."

He uses the computer to unlock the cage door then sets a timer for it to re-unlock in a few hours.

"What are you doing?" Claire asks.

He continues to type in commands as he speaks. "The door to the weapon's locker wont open from the inside. To me it seems like our best bet is to lock ourselves inside in order to get some shut eye without worry of being jumped by any of those infected. In a few hours, the door will unlock itself and then we can leave when we are more refreshed."

Claire rubs her arms and looks at the cage with a turned up nose. "I don't know about this," she protests.

He finally turns to look at her. "Just trust me. I know what I'm doing." He stands up and pulls the door free from its lock.

She nods her head out of courtesy even though she still isn't so sure. It is not that she doesn't trust him, it is that she is worried something could go wrong and then they end up trapped inside. He stands up and places his hand on her elbow to walk her inside. He then shuts the door and the electronic lock clicks into place. Claire sets herself down on the metal bench on the left side of the room while Leon sets down on the one to the right. They just look at each other for the longest moment not knowing what to say. Claire taps her fingers along the binding of Chris's diary.

"So... here we are. What now?"

"Well, you said you needed to get some rest so I would suggest you lay down and try to catch a few winks."

"Alright then."

She stands up and without warning begins to strip off her clothes. At the sight of her removing her jacket then lifting up her shirt to reveal her black, sports bra, Leon turns his attention away and tightly shuts his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He can hardly get out the words feeling as if his chest is about to burst.

"It's not like I'm gonna be able to sleep wearing these soaked clothes. I'm gonna let them hang out to dry while we're in here."

"Makes sense but wont you be cold just sitting around in your..." he swallows hard, "...underwear."

He hears her heavy jeans slap against the floor and tries to hide the fact that the thought of her being half naked before him has given him an erection. He wants to look so bad but knows if he does he will spoil any trust they have gained toward one another.

"Don't be such a prude. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've seen a woman in her skivvies," she teases.

"The first time in person it is," he blurts out.

Claire giggles, "Are you serious? Someone as handsome and fit as you has never been with a woman before? How is that possible?"

"It's simple from an interior perspective. Women just find me weird."

He hears a rustling of what sounds like a tarp then slowly opens his eyes to see that she has wrapped herself in the fireproof blanket from her portable emergency kit.

"Weird how?" She asks.

"I don't know. If I knew that then I wouldn't have such bad luck finding dates." They both fall silent for a moment as he waits for her to have a response but she doesn't say anything. "So how about you? Any jealous exes or even a current boyfriend that I should be keeping an eye out for?"

"No. Nothing like that. I tend to spend most of my time either working or painting the town red with my brother."

"You two are really close huh?"

"Oh you have no idea. All through my teen years he would follow me around just to ensure I didn't end up with any bozos. He was _always_ worried I'd get knocked up only for the guy to skip town and then I'd end up as a single mother. He's a little paranoid that way. Can't blame him though. He just wants to make sure I don't put myself in harms away."

"It sounds like he really loves you."

"Yeah. Truth be told I love him just as much. So much in fact that I've grown use to steering clear of any guy that I know he wont approve of."

"But that's crazy. Shouldn't the person you spend the rest of your life with be your decision?"

"It would be if I were willing to trade away my brother for it, which I'm not. I don't want to do anything that might risk him cutting himself out of my life for good. He's all I have. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him." She looks down at the floor suddenly realizing she has just spilled all of her personal life onto a complete stranger. Leon can tell that thinking about all this is making her more and more upset.

"Let's not talk about this now. You need to rest, so just lie down and close your eyes for a while. You have nothing to worry about. I'll be right here watching over you." He taps the side of his gun holster.

She shifts herself onto her side and rests her head against a bulletproof vest. "You're not gonna get some sleep too?"

"I'll be alright. Don't worry."

Claire closes her eyes and within minutes falls into a deep sleep. Leon watches her, hypnotized by her breathing. It is only when he realizes how awkward he is acting that he finally turns his attention towards the office and tries to find something to focus his eyes on. There is a bulletin board of wanted posters. They are all criminals he has already familiarized himself with. His eyes move to the radio on the opposite wall. 'Maybe I'll be able to get that working and we can call for someone to pick us up. Then again, after what we saw from the helicopter crash it is possible the city could have been declared a no fly zone. So then what? Where can we go? How can we even get out?'

Leon suddenly feels his eyes become very heavy. For the first time all night the air is very still. No groans, no gunfire, not even the clang of a rouge pan falling off a table somewhere. Just the low buzz of the florescent lamps and Claire's rhythmic breaths. He tries to remain alert but without even realizing it, his head rests itself against the wall, and he slowly falls into a deep sleep.

Leon stirs unsure if he has been asleep for a few minutes or a few hours. It takes him a moment to blink away his sleepy vision then he looks to the other side of the room expecting to see Claire still lying on the bench asleep. She isn't. There's her blanket, the police vest, even her clothes are still right where they should be, but she is nowhere to be found. He looks to the cage door to find that it is wide open. He stands up to check the office but she isn't there either.

"Claire?" He calls out but gets no reply. "Where would she have gone? To the bathroom maybe?"

He hurries over to the office door and finds that it has been left unlocked. He swings it open with his handgun at the ready and quickly checks to the left and then to the right. Nothing. No sound, no signs of struggle. Something feels off but he can't quite put his finger on why. Step by step he makes his way towards the shower room. As he approaches he can hear one of the showers running. The heavy water drops slapping the tile floor becomes louder as he pushes the door open. Still finding no signs of life, he remains alert as he turns the corner towards the row of showers.

"Claire?" He calls out softly.

Still nothing. He leans himself towards the floor to check for any feet under the stalls. Expecting to see a pair of naked, slender, legs come into view he becomes confused when he finds just a line of empty showers. Suddenly he hears someone whimper from somewhere inside the police station. The sound causes him to spring straight up and make his way back to the hall. His heart races as he pans his flashlight into the darkness. Only emptiness. Again he hears a whimper a bit louder than the first coming from the far end of the hall. It is clearly a woman crying but he can't quite make out if the voice belongs to Claire. Knowing either way he has to check it out he makes his way towards them.

With his hands shacking, Leon rests his back against the wall then peers his eyes around the corner. His adrenaline skyrockets when he discovers a thick trail of blood along the floor, as if something has been dragged into the linen room.

"Please don't let it be her," he pleads to himself.

He takes in a few quick breaths while trying to build up his courage. He isn't sure if he can continue. Sure he is a cop. It is his job to take action during times like this. But if it is her he's afraid he might lose his mind at the sight of her dead or even worse, turned into one of those things.

"Leon!" The voice cries from the other side of the door.

Now certain that it is her, his body suddenly begins to move on its own and he kicks down the door with tremendous force. Splintering the door at its hinges. The room is pitch black. He immediately falls into shock as he shines his flashlight into the room and finds one of the undead feasting on a woman's lifeless body that is sprawled out on the floor. Noticing the red of her hair first he discovers it is in fact Claire. Her eyes are cold and dark as they stare into his soul as if to say, "You were too late." Filled with both rage and sorrow, he lifts his gun to the zombie's head and blasts it repeatedly, until its brains are nothing but mush splattered over the wall behind it. He falls to his knees then crawls his way over to her colorless corpse. Tears like waterfalls stream from his eyes as he lifts her up into his arms. Blood pours from the numerous bite marks along her neck and chest that quickly soaks into his pants. It is still warm confirming that it was only a few minutes ago that she was alive. 'If only I had been just a little bit quicker. If only I hadn't hesitated.'

"Why?" He cries to the heavens. He places his lips against her forehead wanting to feel her soft skin against his. "Why did you leave without me?"

For the first time in a long time he lets himself cry. He didn't cry when his ex broke up with him. He didn't even cry at his own father's funeral, but now it is all coming to a head and at the bottom of it all was the auburn haired beauty he promised to protect. He knew there would be tragedy in his life. Being a police officer it comes with the job. But to loose someone so precious to him on only the first day, he can't help but feel like he has been cursed. Doomed to loose those he cares about no matter how hard he tries to keep them close.

Her body shifts. At first he isn't sure what to think. 'Was that her moving or did I make her move somehow? She couldn't have moved. Could she?'

"Leon?" Her voice groans.

Overjoyed and a bit confused he lifts her head to face his. He is amazed to find that her eyes are locked onto his. Though they are still dark and cold they are moving on their own.

"Claire, you're alive!" He cries happily.

"Leon," she groans again.

That is when he realizes what's happening. She is turning into one of them. Some semblance of her mind must still remember who he is but he can tell by her emotionless expression that his name no longer holds meaning to her.

With his heart once again filling with sorrow, he lifts up his gun to her temple and prepares himself to pull the trigger. He tells himself, 'This is for her own good. She is better off dead then a flesh eating monster.' His finger tightens over the trigger. Just a bit more and then she'll be able to rest in peace. His arm becomes weak, it starts to shake, and he loses his grip. The gun falls to the floor.

"I can't do it," he cries.

"Leon!" Claire groans louder.

"I'm sorry." He rests his forehead against hers and allows his tears to rain over her cheeks.

"Leon!" Her voice says more clearly.

He becomes confused again wondering how she is doing that.

"Leon!" Her voice shouts.


	2. Chapter 2

He jolts awake to find Claire with her hand gently caressing his face. His heartbeat slows the more he comes to realize it was all just a bad dream.

"Claire?" He asks still a bit unsure if it is really her.

"Yeah. Are you okay? You were groaning in your sleep."

"No, I mean yeah." He clears his throat as he sits himself up. "Wow. That was quite a dream."

"You wanna tell me about it?"

"No. It was stupid." He stands up from the bench then rolls his shoulders to shake away the uneasy feeling creeping over his body. "So, are we ready to go?"

He notices that she still isn't fully dressed. She has put on her tank top but her lower half is covered by only her thin, black, boyshort cut, underwear.

"Not quite. The door still hasn't unlocked so I'm still letting my jeans dry out. How long did you set it for?"

"Four hours." He lifts up the sleeve of his shirt to look at his watch. "We have about five more minutes."

"Well, that sounds like plenty of time to me," Claire says lustfully.

"Huh?"

Leon is caught off guard by her taking hold of the sides of his vest and with one swift tug she manages to pull its Velcro strips clean off his ribs and lift the vest from his shoulders.

"Claire, what are you doing?"

She drops the vest to the bench behind her then takes the buttons of his shirt into her fingers and one by one pops them undone. Leon isn't sure how to react. He has never seen so much fire in a woman's actions. Should he stop her? If he does she might think he's only doing so because he doesn't find her attractive, which couldn't be further from the truth. He just can't believe she would be able to be in such a come hither mood after all the horror they have experienced tonight.

"Come on, Leon. You can't tell me you haven't been thinking about the exact same thing I have since the moment we met back at that gas station."

She slips her hands into the opening of his shirt. Her fingers massage his toned pecks which are even more fun to touch than she imagined. She is able to press her fingers into his soft skin but the muscles underneath immediately bind and keep their form. Leon shutters at every little caress with his face expressing that he finds what she's doing pleasurable, but he has his head turned away as he fights to keep his composure. His cheeks are blushed bright pink and his eyes are tightly shut. He wants to allow her to keep massaging his swollen muscles but at the same time his brain wont let him enjoy it.

"I just don't think this is the time or place for us to be doing this kind of thing. We need to keep our minds on getting back out of the city."

Claire is disappointed by his words. She is sure that he wants her just as much as she wants him but for some reason he wont accept her advances.

"Please, Leon," she begs waiting for him to look at her.

He can feel her staring at him and decides to answer her plead. She looks to him with wide eyes. Moist, but not as if she wants to cry. More like she'll hate him forever if he doesn't give her the answer she so desires.

"What's wrong? Why do you want this so badly?" He asks.

"It's just... I don't want something to happen to one of us and never get to experience what it's like to truly connect with someone."

Leon's brain flashes the horrific sight of her lifeless body through his eyes reminding him of what could come to pass. He tries to force the visions away and focus on what Claire is telling him.

"I feel like there is a powerful bond between us and I don't want to die full of regret knowing that you and I had a chance to be together and we let it slip through our grasps," her voice becomes higher pitched as she continues to hold back her many pessimistic thoughts.

Leon places his hands over her cheeks and rests his forehead against hers wanting her face to stop representing the look she had in his nightmare.

"I can't say that I disagree with what you are saying, but you have to trust me when I say I'm not going to let _anything_ happen... to either of us, you understand? We are going to make it out of here, together. Please, I need you to trust me on this."

"I want to believe you, I do. But I can't shake this feeling that something terrible is going to happen. It's like a chill that has been injected into my spine and now I can't stop shaking."

He places his hands over her upper arms and rubs just hard enough for the friction to warm her goosebumps. She lets out a soft moan that causes his blood to once again return to the aching cylinder bunched up in his cargo pants. He tries to ignore it.

"Your body is just in shock. You'll feel much better once we're on the road again." He tilts his head towards the radio. "You see that? I might even be able to make contact with someone who can send help. Just bare with it a little while longer."

The door lock releases and they both let out a sigh of relief.

"At least that is one thing that has gone right tonight so far," Claire says still feeling pessimistic.

Still not wanting to give up on her plan to seduce him, she takes Leon's utility belt into her hand and before he can even realize what is happening she unclasps the belt and balls it up into her arms. Leon tries to grab it back but she steps back from him, through the cage door, and into the office.

"No, no, no! Claire, I am serious! Give that back!" He begs.

She continues to take steps backward to keep him from grabbing it.

She laughs playfully, "If you want it... you gotta come get it..."

He sighs unsure what she hopes to accomplish by taking his gear from him. They could be attacked by one of those things at any moment and yet she insists on courting him like two high schoolers on a first date. He watches her closely as she props herself up onto her brother's desk and sets the belt down behind her as if she is attempting to hide it, even though he can clearly see her every move. He can't help but trace his eyes down her slender waist to her smooth, bare, legs. Every fiber of his being wants to feel them wrapped around his hips, but could he really go through with it? He steps over to her which is exactly what she wants.

"Come on. Seriously. We don't have time to be fooling around-"

Claire grabs holds of his shoulders and presses her lips into his unable to restrain herself any longer. They melt into each other as all the troubles of the world fade from their minds and suddenly all that matters is where they are right now. Just two young, healthy, individuals searching for intimacy in a place where any hope of survival can be ripped away at any second. Their lips hunger for one another. Over and over they press together unable to get enough. It isn't long before their tongues join in on the make out session. Never before have they craved for someone so deeply. Their bodies become hot, their breathing heightens, and their senses become more acute. They can now taste so many different sensations in each other's saliva. Sweet, bitter, saltiness, as well as a hint of mint from a stick of gum Leon had been chewing on earlier that morning. The sent of sweat and adrenaline fill their noses and their ears buzz from the florescent lights humming through the blood that rushes through them. Their eyes are also dilated and they can see every last pore and scare that have sculpted their faces into their unique beautiful shapes.

They moan as they glide their fingertips over each other's arms and backs. Their chests are compressed together and yet they still feel like they're no where near close enough. They can feel their hearts throbbing. Begging to become one even though actually doing so would mean their deaths.

"I really think... we need... to keep moving," Leon says while unable to keep his mouth from pressing into hers. "Holy fuck, Claire. Your lips are so soft," he huffs out of breath as his heart races faster and faster.

No amount of fear or adrenaline could ever top the pure burst of energy that is flowing from his body, into hers, and back again.

"If you think the upper pair are soft, wait until you get a kiss from the lower ones," she teases as she cups the palm of her right hand over his crotch.

A burst of heavy breath escapes Leon's mouth as his entire body goes into shock from the immense pleasure rushing into his bloodstream from her gentile fingers massaging the underside of his balls. It only takes a few seconds for that same blood to build up in his shaft and make him harder than he has ever been in his life.

She slides her hands upwards to unbuttons his pants, then makes quick work of the zipper. She slips her fingers into the small opening of his underwear and begins to massage his sizable length against her palm. It is not as thick as her favorite toy back home but its silkiness more than makes up for it. Even as his body quivers at her touch, he manages to pull out something from one of his pockets.

"What are you doing?" Claire asks as she shifts her gaze to snoop on him.

He lifts his hand back out to reveal a condom pinched between his middle and index finger. She giggles at how well prepared the rookie is.

"Shouldn't we use protection?" He asks.

He looks at her a bit confused at what she thinks is funny and it makes him feel a bit self-conscious as if she is laughing at him. She finds his thoughtfulness incredibly cute but pushes his hand away. Leon is put off by her gesture expecting her to want to take every precaution. After all, they did only just meet a few hours ago. There is no way she can be okay with the possibility of being knocked up by a complete stranger. Nor would he be okay doing it. Not only does he still feel too young to start a family but he has too many responsibilities as it is. He's not sure if he'll always feel this way but for now he has to be careful.

"No. I want the full experience," she explains.

She places her fingers inside the band of his underwear and pulls them down just far enough so that his cock is fully exposed and she can continue to rub him comfortably. He tries to build up the courage to tell her that he will not penetrate her without protection, but the signals she is sending through his cock and into his pelvis are making it extremely hard for him to regain control over his actions. She leans into him and places her lips against his ear.

"You don't have to worry. There wont be any pitter patter of little Kennedys running around any time soon," she whispers sensually.

She gives his ear a lick then a peck causing him to take in another deep breath to try to calm his heart. He waits for her to look at him again and gives her a serious expression.

"If we're going to do this, you have to promise you wont hold it against me if I screw it up. I have no experience with sort of thing, and I mean _at all_. I'm sure that's not what a woman wants to hear a man say before her first time but it's the truth."

"It's alright, Leon. I know you'll do great because you're already thinking about me and not just yourself."

She removes her hand from his shaft and leans back. She spreads her legs wide and places her fingers inside the V-line of her panties to pull them to the side, exposing her smooth, light pink, labia. Leon has seen his fair share of naked women in magazines and even some on the internet, but none of them compare to how clean and tight she looks. His member quivers. He only needs to lean in about two inches and he'll take away from her a most precious possession.

"Make love to me," she says more demanding than as a request.

Nervous, Leon swallows hard. His mouth suddenly feels dry like he's been breathing in the hot air of a sauna for the last hour. He takes his cock into his hand and gently positions his corona against her entrance. Her body twitches and she lets out an audible yelp. He pulls back feeling like he has already done something wrong.

Claire can feel that her face is blushed hot red as warm shivers travel through her skin all the way down her back. Her pelvis aches for him to continue but she notices his hesitation which only causes her clit to tingle uncontrollably.

"Why'd you stop?" She whines.

"Sorry," he says while hoping he hasn't already blew it.

He goes in for a second try and once again she lets out a wince but this time instead of allowing the noise to refrain him, he makes sure to keep his focus as he guides himself between her silky folds. She is so wet he is able to prod her with ease then slowly push himself deep into her tight pocket. It takes a bit more force than he was expecting but soon his entire cock becomes embraced by her warm, ruffly, walls. The sensation is so overwhelmingly amazing that for a moment he looses all feeling in his legs and has to force himself to keep his posture. He can feel her insides pushing back against him, causing him to slip back out until only the tip remains inside, as if to tell him he has entered a sacred place and shall soon be punished for doing so. He ignores this resistance and instead thrusts himself into her once again. She lets out a soft moan and he feels her walls quiver against his member. Unable to get enough, he grasps her butt-cheeks into his palms and holds her pelvis directly up against his.

Claire wraps her arms around his neck, holding his face against her chest. Her legs entwine with his, hugging his butt in order to apply maximum pressure against her pelvis. Each time he arches his back he slides all the way down from her cervix, back to her entrance, only to quickly thrust himself all the way up to where his base connects with her clit. The sensation is nothing like what she is use to. When masturbating her pleasure mostly comes from the vibration of the dildo both from inside and on the surface but this is all about how silky he feels mixed with her moisture. The girth of his shaft massages her labia as his balls press against her taint.

So many sensations that she has no control over. Normally she would be the one deciding how quickly each penetration would take place, how deep, and how hard, but there is something about Leon being the one in control that sends her feminine instincts into a frenzy. His lips kiss and lick at her cleavage. Yet another area of her body that has never received such attention. She wants to lift up her shirt and allow him to suck at her nipples but then she would have to remove her grasp on him and there is nothing more she wants at this moment than to be as close to him as possible.

She moans again and again in small bursts from being out of breath. Leon isn't completely sure if the noises she is making is from pleasure or pain. Almost like she is whimpering. He has heard that it is painful for a woman during their first time but the look on Claire's face appears to be that of bliss. Her eyes are closed, with her brow raised, and she is biting down on her bottom lip. He gives her a peck on the lips to make her open her eyes. She looks at him while still struggling to catch her breath.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"I'm wonderful." She smiles. "How about you?"

"Incredible. I want to stay in this moment with you forever."

She smiles then gives him a passionate kiss. He moans as she slips her fingers into the opening of his shirt and admires the lines of his ab muscles. She kisses down his jawline, past his neck, to his left nipple. She wraps her tongue over it and lets the taste of his sweat coat her mouth. She continues to lick until the saltiness fades and all that is left is the hard bump that massages her tongue.

She is so close now. Her climax screams for release but something is just a bit off. She looks into Leon's eyes and slides her fingers through his hair to give it a slight tug between her fingers. She can sense herself becoming more aggressive as her body craves an orgasm more and more.

"Can you thrust just a teeny bit harder for me?" She asks.

"Of course. If that's what you really want."

She nods her head. Taking no time to hesitate, he does his best to adjust his rhythm ever so slightly. A wave of relief washes over him as Claire tilts her head back in a state of heightened pleasure.

She moans, "Oh yeah! Just like that! Just like that! Ah! Ahh!"

Feeling her walls tighten even further around his shaft he can tell she has reached her peak. His thrusts turn into tiny pulses as he too feels himself about to erupt.

He struggles to speak while continuing to thrust, "Claire, are you sure you don't want me to pull out?"

"I'm sure," she moans, "Give it to me, Leon!"

She wraps her arms around his midsection to once again hold him as close as possible. The feeling of her soft breasts pressing against his pecks sends him over the edge. His pulses become faster as her walls contract around him again and again. His body becomes stiff and with his last bit of energy he slips himself in as deep as he possibly can and allows his semen to flow into her uterus. Though he doesn't like the idea of a woman being dominated by a man, and he would surly punch another guy in the mouth for even implying such a thing, he can't help but find himself enjoying the fact that he is the one to soil her for the first time. He can see now how strong of an impact this action could be if she were to be as accepting to carrying his child. Such a strong moment of passion that would then result in the creation of life. So beautiful and yet so scary.

Claire is having similar thoughts as she feels his warmth spread over her pelvis. If she hadn't made sure to put herself on the Depo shot as soon as she turned eighteen than this whole thing could have turned out much different. Then again, as she looks at Leon she can't help but think it may not be such a bad thing to let him knock her up once or twice. He is handsome, physically fit, and oh so passionate. Both in his work and now she is certain with his relationships as well. However, she forces those thoughts from her head. Either way it is not something either of them are ready for.

Leon gives her a few more gentle pumps, ensuring that they have both been fully satisfied. Her quivering settles but he can still feel her heartbeat against his shaft. They take in deep breaths to try and calm themselves but keep their grasps tight. Neither of them wanting to let go. They stare into each other for the longest moment. Leon slides his hands from her hips, up to her arms, then entwines his fingers with hers. He gives her a serious look and Claire becomes worried that he is about to slam her with some sort of hard truth. 'He didn't enjoy it, he has a girlfriend, he never wants to see her again.' As his lips open for him to speak she feels her heart skip a beat.

"As soon as we get out of here, I am so taking you out for coffee," Leon jokes.

Relieved she responds with a smile, "I'd like that."

A grin spreads over his face. For only a moment she can suddenly see the weirdness he told her about. It does not steer her away though. She gives him a quick peck on the mouth finding him impossibly cute. He leans in to repay her gesture but their moment is cut short by the sound of something that slams hard against the office door. Leon quickly grabs his handgun from his belt still at Claire's back and aims it at the doorway. Claire holds herself against him not wanting him to leave her side just yet. They look to the doorknob but whatever it is doesn't bother to try to open the door intact. Something with very large claws quickly rips its way through the wooden barricade.

"What is that thing?" Claire asks panicked.

"Whatever it is, it's about to be dead," Leon answers confidently.

The massive, red, creature that appears to be made of nothing but claws and muscle sticks out its long, slithery, tongue at them as if it smelling them and reaching out to grab them at the same time. Leon can feel Claire shaking with fear which only enhances his want to protect her. He waits for the creature to peer its head into the room then fires off three consecutive shots right into its exposed cranium. The creature falls to the floor and wriggles around as it shrieks in agony before falling limp to the floor.

Finding Leon to be as hot as ever, Claire kisses at his neck as his focus remains on the doorway. He eventually turns back to her and gives her a deep kiss as his member slips from her entrance. He stuffs his cock back into his underwear as she slides her panties back over her V-line.

"We gotta get moving. Something surly will have heard that and be here any minute," Leon explains.

"I agree. Let me just grab my things real quick."

After getting their clothes back on straight, they make sure to gear up and not leave anything behind. Claire even slips on a Kevlar vest for extra protection. Leon manages to get the radio working and sends out an S.O.S. After only a few tries they are surprised that someone answers the call. They are instructed to make their way out of the city near the train station where they can then be picked up. It is as Leon expected. The city has become a no fly zone. Once the call ends he turns to Claire.

"Are you ready to do this?" He asks.

"Fuck yeah!" Claire replies as she lifts her sidearm up against her shoulder.

(Part 1 Epilogue)

From this point, the story continues as canon. Claire and Leon become separated. Claire meets up with Sherry. Leon meats up with Ada. Ada falls to her "death." And they finally defeat Dr. Birkin by blowing him up along with the rest of the Umbrella facility.

They walk along the train tracks until they come across the helicopter that they were instructed to reach. It takes all three of them to a quarantine zone that the military has set up for the citizens of the city. Once the three of them are confirmed not to be at risk of infecting other citizens they are released back into the general public.

Sherry having lost both her parents and Leon having left his old life behind to work in Raccoon City, Claire invites them to stay at her place in Chicago, Illinois. In a way they find it weird to make such a bold move so soon after meeting one another but under the circumstances none of them wanted to be alone.

After a few days their lives begin to feel normal once again. Claire and Leon decide to keep their relationship simple. They want to get to know each other as friends before jumping into anything long term. They talk about getting Sherry back into school and what they are going to do for jobs now that they have experienced such craziness. Leon talks about remaining in the service and suggests that Claire join him but she can't help but continue to worry about the disappearance of her brother.

Standing at the front door of her apartment, Claire has packed up her things for her trip. Leon stands behind her, scratching at the back of his neck, unable to shake off the bad feeling creeping up his spine.

"Are you sure you want to go alone? I can always wait to join up with the C.P.D. at a later time," Leon suggests being obvious that he really doesn't like the idea of them splitting up.

Claire looks up from her bags that she has piled up next to the door. Her heart cracks a bit seeing the saddened expression that has fallen over his face. Ever since their escape from that night she's noticed that he has always been so careful to always be smiling. Most likely his way of reminding her that they need to appreciate every minute of them being safe and alive. It is not that she isn't grateful for the time they've had, but just thinking that her brother could be in danger at this very moment sets her on edge more often than she would care to admit.

"I'm sure. The people of this city need you, Leon. Who knows how many other labs Umbrella has stashed underground all over the country and with us not being far from the red zone the possibility of another outbreak is very high. I'll feel better leaving knowing that you'll be here if anything were to go wrong. Also I need you to look after Sherry. I realize that is asking you a lot but I can't just sit by any longer pondering wither my brother is alive or not." She lowers her head not wanting him to see the doubt on her face.

Leon places his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. "He is alive, Claire. I know you'll find him. And you don't have to worry about Sherry. I'll take good care of her. I promise."

He looks deep into her eyes sealing his words. They both know that if anything happens she is to be their first priority. Sherry has already endured so much. To lose one of them now would surely be devastating.

"I know you will. Thanks Leon. For everything."

They both wait for the other to make their move by leaning in for a goodbye kiss but neither of them are sure if it is appropriate anymore. Their bodies burn with the desire for it but something in the back of their minds tell them that now is not the time. Claire's focus has to be solely on her mission. If it were to become clouded by their want for one another it would only further risk her chance to head out and make it back without incident.

"You find him and come back to us safe and sound. You hear me?"

"I will." She places her hand over his and gives it a gentle squeeze. "I'll try not to be gone long. Keep in touch, okay?"

"You got it."

Without neither of them actually saying "goodbye" she grabs her things and heads out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

(Part 2 Prologue)

Claire has tracked down the location of her brother and has set out to the Umbrella headquarters in Paris to find him. (The events of Resident Evil: Code Veronica take place.) During her time on Rockfort Island, she finds herself feeling guilty for gaining feelings for her companion, Steve Burnside, when she still believes she is destined to be with Leon. It gets her questioning wither or not she really cares for either of them or if it is just due to all the heightened adrenaline during both incidences. By the end of her escape from Alfred Ashford and his sister, Steve is killed after confessing his love to her and she has to leave him behind in order to escape with her brother. She and Chris make it to an airplane and fly back to America.

(January 27th, 1999)

Claire steps into her apartment and allows her bags to fall from her arms to the floor without care. She is so exhausted and her muscles ache from head to toe. She wants nothing more than to be greeted by the loving arms of Sherry and Leon then head right into a hot bath. Chris having returned to his post along side Jill Valentine, Claire feels a bit abandoned by him once again. At least now she knows he is safe.

"Sherry? Leon? I'm home!" She hollers down the hall toward the living room. When she receives no answer she makes her way deeper into the room and hollers again, "Sherry? Leon? Is anybody home?" Still no answer.

She heads towards Sherry's bedroom to check up on her only to find a hand written note taped on her door. She recognizes Leon's handwriting and reads it right away.

Dear Claire,

Sorry to have to leave you on such short notice, but my team at the A.U.P.I. called and requested I meet with them as soon as possible. As for Sherry, she is being watched during my absence by some people I know at STRATCOM. We both miss you so much and have prayed for you to come home safe every night during dinner time. Sherry told me to mention that she has something to give you. A kind of welcome home gift. I will do my best to have both of us home as soon as I'm done with work.

-Leon

With no one around to welcome her home Claire feels more alone than ever. She has just survived another Umbrella outbreak, lost someone she cared for, shoved to the side by her brother, and now she has to bare being home by herself. Some tears escape her eyes but she quickly wipes them away then makes her way to the bathroom.

She fills the tub to the brim with bubbles then climbs in to try and relax. The sound of the water pouring into the tub helps to take her mind away from all the thoughts fighting to cause her to break down. She asks herself, 'What is the point of putting myself in danger if in the end I have no one to come home to? Does anyone even care that I'm is alive?' She knows obviously that they do but still her mind continues to make her question all these kinds of things. Such as her relationship with Leon. 'Does he really care about me or was it really just a spur of the moment that we ended up together? Could we ever have a future together? He is so dedicated to his duties as an officer and I hate to admit that I can't see us ever growing old together, or having children, not even getting married.' The life they were trying to have before she left made her feel like their was a chance but in reality she knows it was all just an illusion that was keeping her from seeing the harsh reality. Life goes on with or without you and unless you choose to leave everyone you once knew behind, and pursue your soul mate, you will only be clinging to an idea. Four adults living four different lives can not make a family. No matter how much they might want it to be.

She pushes the thoughts from her mind and focuses on relaxing her muscles. She starts with her toes, then her feet, her legs, up, up, up until she is thinking about the ones behind her eyes. Now feeling even more exhausted, she picks herself up from the bath and dries herself off. She slips on a silk night gown and makes her way to her room. As soon as her head hits the fluffy lump of cotton she is out cold. Her mind is so tired she has a dreamless sleep all throughout the night.

The next morning Claire wakes up to the sound of the front door being opened then closed. Her eyes still sticky from sleep, she looks to the clock and sees that it is nearly noon. She has not slept in this long since the night of the outbreak. Suddenly she realizes that if someone has entered the apartment so easily they had to have a key. She sits herself up and jumps out of bed at the thought that it has to be Leon. She hurries out into the hall and makes her way towards the front door. She becomes ecstatic when she notices a blond man, wearing a blue shirt, and a bulletproof vest standing near the front door.

"Oh, Leon! It is so good to see-"

She stops in her tracks when she realizes the person standing before her is not Leon but in fact Wesker. A strike of fear freezes her in place to the point where she can no longer feel her feet. She tries with all her might to regain control but seeing the large, superhuman, narcissist in the place she is suppose to feel safe is too much for her mind to bare. He has caught her in a position where she has no way of defending herself. Even if she did have a gun or a knife it is not like it would make much of a difference anyway, but it would at least give her _something_ to fight him with.

"Wesker," her voice trembles. "What are you doing here?"

He smirks at her through his dark sunglasses and she can swear for just a millisecond she sees his red eyes light up from behind them.

"I figured now that you and Chris have been reunited that I could catch him visiting you, so I came by to just have a little chat with him," he says in a calm smug tone as if they are all old friends.

"Well Chris isn't here. So you can just get out!" She demands.

"How rude. And here I thought at least the misses would be more upstanding. Unlike her brother," he mocks.

"You need to leave right now or I'll-"

Before she even has a chance to blink Wesker runs at her, grabs her by the neck, and pins her against the far wall. The motion of him picking her up and slamming her back knocks the wind out of her while at the same time he chokes her just enough so she can barley breath.

"You'll what?" He growls. "Scream? Call the cops?"

Her hands pull at his arms to try to free herself but she is no match against the man who is nearly twice as heavy as she is. She can feel herself slipping towards unconsciousness but she tries with all her might to stay awake. Who knows what he might do to her once she is out.

"Please, Wesker. I didn't want to be a part of any of this," she gags.

"Well it is far too late for that."

He leans in close to her and places his lips up against her ear. He breaths in her sent like that of a predator then lets out a soft moan. Claire can't believe the way he is acting. Her brother's rival coming onto her like a complete creep. 'What does he want? What is he going to do to me?' She isn't sure she wants to know the answer.

"Now let me think. Which do you think your brother would find most heartbreaking? I could just simply kill you... but I don't see the fun in that. I could cripple you, there by making your life harder and more miserable. I could turn you. Oh how sweet it would be to watch dear old Chris come to visit his loving sister only to find that you no longer have any idea who he is and try to bite his face off," he laughs. "Or..." His voice becomes deeper as he looks down at her legs then back up to her eyes. "... I could have a little action while I'm here."

He slips his hand under her nightgown and slides his ruff, callused, fingers all the way up her left thigh. Claire's body trembles with terror. If he means what she thinks he means then how far is he planning to take it? Does he just want to touch her or will other parts of his body join in? He could end up doing whatever he wants unless she can come up with a way to make him let her go. Tears swell up in her eyes as she starts to lose any hope of getting through this encounter alive.

"You're disgusting," she blurts out unable to think of anything that could describe him better.

"What did you say to me you little bitch?"

He tightens his grip on her, choking her further.

She struggles to take a breath to speak again, "You're nothing but a pig. A disgusting, lab, pig."

He growls at her, "How about we see if you'll still have such a smart mouth while there's a foot of cock inserted into your ass?"

He begins unfastening his pants. Claire laughs causing him to stop and become confused by her reaction. She looks at him with fierce eyes and gritted teeth.

"Were you born a tripod or did Umbrella have to grow you a third leg?" She laughs again.

"Keep pushing me and see what happens."

She looks at him smugly, unfazed by his threat. "Do whatever you want. In the end my brother is going to fuck you up so bad you're going to wish you killed him when you had the chance."

He huffs at her annoyed but then laughs and gives her a smug smile back. "You know what? I think I am going to go with one of my other options."

He re-zips his pants then pulls out a syringe from his side pocket and holds it up to her face. It is very large and filled with some kind of purple mixture. Claire wants so badly to cry out but she knows that would be giving him exactly what he wants.

"What do you say we test out one of my new concoctions?"

He takes the syringe into his fist and thrusts his hand down toward her thigh. She feels a sharp pain strike her all the way down to the bone. Unable to control herself, she cries out. Within seconds she feels herself slipping into unconsciousness. The last thing she sees before passing out is Wesker leaning into her and giving her a peck on the cheek. His laughter rings through her ears and the world around her becomes nothing but blackness.

In a panic, Claire springs herself awake and immediately sits herself upright to prepare herself to run as soon as she knows which direction the front door is in. Disoriented, she finds herself being held in position by someone who has taken hold of her upper arms. Through her groggy eyes all she can see is the silhouette of a blond male in a blue shirt.

"Let go of me!" She demands still thinking it has to be Wesker.

"Hey, hey, hey," a familiar, tender, voice hushes her. "It's okay. You're okay."

As her vision returns bit by bit she realizes who is actually sitting at her side.

"Leon?" She asks still unsure if it is really him or if perhaps this is just some strange hallucination.

"Yeah, it's me. Who did you think I was?"

Her voice shudders as she continues to feel on edge, "W-Wesker! He's here!" She swallows hard trying to catch her breath. "H-He's here and he attacked me!" She checks her surroundings frantically for any sign of his presence.

"Claire, you need to calm down. You were just having a bad dream. There is no one is here but us," Leon explains.

"No!" She insists. "Wesker was here a-and he was looking for my brother!"

He holds up his palms still trying to keep her calm. "Alright, I believe you. Just please, take a deep breath and explain to me what you think happened."

Tears fill her eyes. She places her fingers over the area where she felt the syringe pierce her leg, but she finds nothing. No wound, not even a bruise.

"I don't understand," she cries. "He was right there." She points to the floor near the wall to her right. "He pinned me right up against that wall and injected something into my leg."

Leon gives her leg a look over but her skin is as smooth as can be.

"Claire, there is nothing."

She continues to cry unable to shake the cold feeling creeping through her veins. "But he... but he..."

Leon wraps his arms around her and holds her tight against his chest. Even though she is upset it makes him feel happy to be so close to her for the first time in a month.

He tries to comfort her by brushing his fingers through her hair but she continues to shiver uncontrollably. "It's okay. I'm sure it felt real to you but it's over now."

Claire takes a moment to appreciate the feeling of his muscles wrapped around her to help calm her nerves. Even through his uniform he feels so warm. She leans her head against his wanting to feel his soft cheek against hers. Before they can take things further however, she pulls away from him and wipes her face with her arm.

"So what's going on with you? How is it you're home all of a sudden? I would think the A.U.P.I. would have run you ragged," she asks.

He chuckles, "Oh believe me, they're trying to. In fact I just got back a few days ago from my mission on Sheena Island."

"How did it go?"

"Pretty much the same shit as Raccoon City. A bastard by the name of Goldmen was using prisoners for t-virus experiments. The place was crawling with what they called 'hunters.' It's a miracle I got out alive."

Claire's heart flutters with both happiness and worry. "I'm so glad you made it back home. I had no idea you were in just as much trouble as I was. I wish I could have been around to help you."

"I could say the same thing to you. I know you wanted to go at it alone, but every day that we were apart I found myself worrying about you more and more. I guess at least now I understand how you felt about your brother. I'm only glad I was able to contact him and let him know where you were."

"Thanks for that by the way. I don't think I would have made it home in one piece if he hadn't come to save me." Suddenly she realizes that Sherry isn't with him. "So I take it you haven't picked up Sherry from your friends yet?"

"Oh... no. As soon as I heard you were back I rushed right home. I was planning on picking her up after meeting up with you."

"Great. Let's get to it then."

She hops up off the couch and hurries to her room to get dressed. Within minutes she is set and ready to go. Practically dragging Leon out the door behind her, they hope into her car quickly to drive to Sherry's location.

On the ride over to the STRATCOM office they chat about what they've been up to over the last couple months and make light of the dangers they have experienced. Eventually their laughter dies down and things become awkwardly quiet. Claire struggles to start up another conversation but then decides to get their mind back on the task at hand.

"So how was it taking care of Sherry by yourself?" She asks.

"Oh... she is a dream. If all children were like her I wouldn't mind having a whole flock of them, but sadly I know that isn't reality."

Claire laughs, "I'm sure one of the main reasons you feel that way is because she was already well past the diaper stage."

He cringes, "Huh, yeah. No doubt about that. Seriously though, she is pretty awesome. Every day that you have been gone she has set up a calendar, kind of like a diary, where she has written notes about what has happened in our lives, so that when you finally came home, you could catch up and it would be like you never left."

Claire smiles. "That's very sweet. I can't wait to just wrap her in my arms and give her a big hug. Gosh, it has felt like forever since I've seen her. I haven't even heard her voice since I left that day. At least with you I was able to hear you over the phone from time to time. I bet she has grown so much."

They pull into the parking lot of the office building then hop and skip their way inside. They step up to the registration desk and are greeted by a woman who is typing away on her computer.

"Can I help you," she asks.

Claire speaks up first, "Yes. My name is Redfield. I'm here to pick up my daughter, Sherry Birkin."

She does a search on her computer but comes up with no results. "Mrs. Redfield you say? I don't have anyone listed under that name."

Leon steps up to the counter. "Then surely you will have me in one of those files. My name is Leon Kennedy. I just got back from a reconnaissance for you guys."

The receptionist does a little more digging and after a moment the computer dings successfully finding a result. "Ah yes, Mr. Kennedy. We have been expecting you." She picks up her phone and punches in an extension. "Sir, he is here to see you," she says vaguely then hangs up. "The director will be out in a moment. He wishes to speak to you."

Leon and Claire look to each other confused.

"The Director? What does he want?" Leon wonders.

After a moment the director enters the hall to greet them. "Mr. Kennedy, will you come with me please?"

He looks to Claire again. "Sir, this is Claire Redfield. Is it okay if she comes along?"

"Oh, Mrs. Redfield. You're Chris's sister isn't that right?"

"Yeah, that's right. But how did you-"

"I've heard a lot about you two. Your brother is an upstanding citizen just like Mr. Kennedy here. I expect many great things from him in the future. But enough about that. You two are here to pick up Ms. Birkin is that correct?"

"That's right," Claire answers excitedly.

"Well there is a problem with that. Please step into my office and I'll fill you in." He presents them the door.

"A problem? What could he mean?" Claire asks Leon.

"I have no idea. But we better hear him out," he replies.

They step into the office and sit down in the two chairs in front of the director's desk. He sits down in front of them then crosses his fingers together as if he is about to drop a timeshare on them.

"What is this about?" Leon asks bluntly.

"It's like this... our team and I have come to realize just how special Sherry really is. It was no secret that she had been exposed to the G-virus just as the two of you were but both of you failed to mention that her exposure to the virus was a bit more extreme than everyone elses." Leon and Claire look to each other again scared that their secret has been exposed. "She is a carrier meaning we could learn a lot about how her body has reacted to the virus and possibly one day even come up with a vaccine."

Claire becomes angry, "What are you talking about? Sherry is not some kind of lab rat for you to poke and prod at! She is just a little girl and she deserves to be raised in a home where people love her!"

He snaps back at her, "Mrs. Redfield I advice you keep a subtle tone! The fact of the matter is that neither you or Mr. Kennedy have any authority over Sherry. You are not her parents, you are not even legal guardians, which means that with both her parents deceased her life falls under the responsibility of the state. As it so happens, the government has decided that she is now under our guidance."

Leon stands up from his chair frustrated. "That's bullshit! I asked you people to watch over Sherry! Not to hand her over to a bunch of people in white coats!"

"Calm yourself Mr. Kennedy. If you continue to cause a scene I will have no choice but to report you."

"Mother fuckers," he grumbles as he kicks over a nearby trashcan then rests his head against the wall in shame. "This is all my fault. I can't ever do anything right."

Claire turns her attention back to the director. "Please sir. Isn't there anything we can do to change the government's mind? Someone we can contact or even a social worker?"

"I'm afraid not Mrs. Redfield. As much as I hate to tell you this given the duty your family has served to our country, you're still only second class citizens. Even I don't have such authority to do anything. I'm sorry, but you're most likely never going to see Sherry again."

Claire tries to hold herself together as she struggles to think of something more she can say, but soon reality sets in and she bursts into tears.

"Thank you for your time," she says through a tight voice as she calmly stands up and walks out of the room.

Leon is quick to follow after her. He walks beside her trying to think of what he could possibly say to ease her sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Claire. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

She wipes her face to rid her cheeks of it's salty texture but more tears just take its place. "I don't want to talk about it right now. I just want to go back home."

Not wanting to upset her further he just agrees, "Okay."

Leon takes the wheel for the trip back. Neither of them utter a single word to each other the entire way. Claire just stares out the passenger window still contemplating hard on how things have gotten to this point. She starts to blame herself. 'If I had never left then Sherry would have never been sent to those people in the first place,' but then she thinks better of it. 'I had to help my brother. There was just no other way around it.'

Leon can tell she is struggling with her thoughts. He tries again and again to think of something to say to her, but each time he is about to part his lips he silences himself. He decides it is best to wait to tell her what has been eating away at him until they get home.

Stepping through the front door, Claire immediately makes her way down the hall towards the bedroom. Leon shuts and locks the door behind them.

"Can I make you something?" He asks.

She turns back to him but keeps her head low. "No, I um... I think I'm just gonna go to bed. I didn't get much sleep last night and with everything that's happened I just..." her focus trails off.

Leon can tell she is forcing back her tears again.

"Claire?" He asks concerned.

She perks up as if snapping herself out of a trance. "Oh, uh... it's nothing. Don't worry about me." She steps into the bedroom without another word and closes the door behind her.

Almost immediately Leon can hear her begin to sob. A pin prick strikes him in the heart. He never knows what to do in these kinds of situations. 'Should I just let her be? I mean I should go talk to her, but is now really the right time?'

He heads to the kitchen and grabs them both a hot mug of tea. He then makes his way to the bedroom and hears Claire crying into her pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Sherry. Promise me you'll stay safe." Leon knocks on the door softly. "Come in," she says while wiping her face.

He steps into the room to find her sitting upright in the bed. Her hair has fallen to her shoulders and she has stripped down to her underwear. She looks more vulnerable than he has ever seen her before. He approaches her slowly then hands her one of the mugs.

"Thank you," she says softly as she takes it from him.

He takes a seat next to her and they both sit quietly for a moment while gulping down their tea. Surprisingly they find that the warmth does help to make them feel better. If only in the slightest.

Leon looks to her eyes and waits until she is looking back at his. His eyes are so fierce, so determined. They remind her of how he looked that night at the police department.

"I promise you, I am gonna work day in and day out to find a way to get her back," he says reassuringly.

She shakes her head, "Leon, it's too late. The US government knows who she is now. There is no way they would ever just let her live a normal life. She is too much of a risk and I feel like the more we push the matter, the more we'll make it worse. At least with them she'll be safe, which is more than I can say for us."

"I don't believe that. She is only a child. She deserves to be taken care of by the people who love her. Not by some government program."

She sighs, "I get it. But for now can we at least just try to take solace in the fact that we're all alive? With everything that's happened I really need to just put my mind at ease or I feel like I might give out."

"You're right. We all have been through a lot lately and it seems like the more we try to help, the more of a mess everything becomes. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop fighting."

"And I wouldn't want you to. I just... can't... right now."

They look at each other longingly. So much time keeps passing them by and at this rate they feel like they'll never find any time to spend together as just a normal family. Nervously Leon places his hand over Claire's wanting to let her know that he'll always be around to protect her.

"I've missed you," he admits.

"I've missed you too," Claire responds with a smile.

Leon leans in while closing his eyes to give her a kiss, but she turns her face away denying him. He can sense right away that something is wrong but he can't understand why she would refuse him. She takes a last big drink of her tea then sets the mug down on the side table. He copies her movements then waits patiently for her to explain herself.

She clears her throat. "I have something I need to tell you. A confession of sorts."

"What is it?"

She takes in a deep breath then lets it out slowly. She looks to the floor feeling ashamed of herself. "Back on the island, I met a young man by the name of Steve Burnside. He was a bit obnoxious but in many ways he reminded me of you." She looks back to him with a bit of a glow in her eyes. "He was brave, daring, and pron to getting himself into trouble," she chuckles. "I found myself falling head over heals for him even though all I wanted to think about was finding my brother and coming home to you. It made me question our relationship and what I want it to represent. Unfortunately I still haven't really come up with an answer, but after he died it became clearer to me than ever that I needed to really appreciate the people in my life and what little time I might have left with them. Mainly meaning you and Sherry, but it has got me thinking that maybe what we have isn't enough. There is something missing in my life and I'm not sure what it is I should even be looking for." She shakes her head unsure of herself. "I hope all this wont make you think less of me."

"Of course not. In fact I feel I owe you the same exact confession. You know how I told you about that woman I helped, Ada?" Claire nods while impatiently awaiting for him to continue. "Well she and I sorta... kissed." His heart sinks to his stomach worried he might have just made a mistake by telling her.

"You two kissed? The same night you and I-"

"To be fair she kissed me," Leon says quickly, worried that if he doesn't get that fact out right away Claire will reel back and punch him square in the nose. "I never would have made the first move, but that doesn't excuse the feelings I gained for her after that. I want to say I'm sorry but I can't. It's just how I felt at the time."

"But wait. Didn't you say she fell to her death?"

He nods his head in shame still feeling it was his fault. "Yeah."

"I'm so sorry, Leon. I had no idea. I wish you would have told me sooner."

He turns away from her. His expression turns sorrowful. "It doesn't mater now. She's gone and there was nothing I could do to save her." He hangs his head. "I'm such a failure."

"I know how you feel." Leon turns back to her realizing her voice has become tighter. "It's the same with Steve. Wesker taunted me about his death and told me he was going to use his body to extract the T-Veronica virus from his corpse. I only hope he really passed on after he confessed his love to me so that he didn't feel any more pain."

More tears slip out but she quickly wipes them away.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I wish I could have been there to help both of you."

She shakes her head again. "It's like you said, none of that matters now. What matters is what we do for our future and I've come to realize that I can't see my future... without you."

His heart flutters feeling overjoyed to hear her say that.

"Oh, Claire!" He wraps his arms around her and she immediately returns the gesture. He begins to cry feeling so many emotions bubbling to the surface. "I feel the same way about you." His bottom lip trembles. "I want to do everything I can to help us become a real family."

"I know you do, and I'm sure some day you will."

He pulls back from their embrace to look at her once again. He finds her so incredibly beautiful both in body and in spirit. He's not sure what he's done to get so lucky but just being in her presence fills his heart with comfort.

"I promise that I am going to do everything in my power to never fail you again. You might find me crazy for saying this, but I think I'm in love with you."

"That does sound pretty crazy," she teases.

"Shut up," he chuckles embarrassed.

She cups her hands under his jawline and leans closer to him.

"I love you too, Leon."

Their lips connect and immediately a rush of energy flows through them. The sensation brings them back to that passionate night at the police station but it is different this time. The area around them is calm. There is nothing and no one around to interrupt them. They can take their time, but going against that fact, they are quick to lift their tops up over their heads. Their naked chests press against one another and for the first time in months they find a sense of belonging. Unable to get enough of each other's sweet taste they vigorously press their tongues together over and over. Moans escape their throats as they lose control of their bodies. Some even come out as more of a whine. Their hearts ache wondering why they ever stopped doing these things in the first place.

Claire guides Leon into laying down on his back. They hold each other close as their body temperatures rise higher and higher and in no time the room becomes stuffy. Eventually Claire manages to pull herself away from his lips and kisses down his chest to the waist of his pants. She slips her fingers into the band of his underwear and cleanly yanks everything off him in one swift motion. Leon's cock springs up right in front of her face. Blushing hard he struggles not to cover himself and turns his face away from her. As his cock twitches again and again Claire admires how quickly he has become fully erect and gives his shaft a few quick pecks before pulling off her own underwear.

Leon swallows hard. "Claire I...I want to tell you that I haven't done this since-"

"Since our last time," she finishes for him. "I know. I haven't either, and to tell you the truth I couldn't be happier."

As she climbs on top of him he forces himself to turn back to her.

"I just wish I had a better understanding of what I am doing. Of all the training I've been offered in my life, this is one area I am still a rookie in."

She hushes him then climbs over him to nibble on his bottom lip. "It's fine. I find it attractive to know that the skills you gain in this area are all based on my needs and not anyone elses."

She takes his cock into her hands and lifts it so that she is able to position herself onto it. It only takes a couple tiny sways of her hips for the head to prod open her entrance then guide the rest of his shaft all the way inside. Having forgotten just how perfect they both fit against one another they lose control of their senses immediately. A tingling numbness spreads to their fingers and toes as their pleasure becomes pinpointed around their pelvises. Wanting the heat to subside, Claire wastes no time in using her leg muscles to lift and settle herself over his length again and again.

He closes his eyes tightly as his face becomes flushed red. She admires how innocent he looks and even though she is just as inexperienced as he is, she feels a sense of power as if she is corrupting him. Leon is such a focused, no nonsense, kind of guy and yet she is able to cause his hard exterior to melt away just by touching him.

As she continues to thrust, feeling his base massaging her clit, she leans forward and kisses at his neck and collarbone until he finds his own way into re-opening his eyes and pulling her into a deep kiss. They lose their breath as they moan into each other's mouths. Unable to keep up with the pace of their thrusts, Claire moves away from the kiss and instead rests her forehead against his.

Feeling her already close to climaxing, Leon cups his hands under her butt and holds her tightly to keep his thrusts from bouncing her out of rhythm. Her moans become tiny bursts of heated breath. Her insides tighten and quiver over his length egging him to hold himself back until he is sure she has reached her peak.

"Leon, I can't... I can't..." she whimpers.

"It's alright. You don't have to hold back."

A few more pumps is all it takes then her body becomes stiff. Every muscle in her legs and back force her to stay pressed up as hard as she can against his pelvis. She feels him erupt inside her then the pulse of his shaft massages her walls as his hands massage her butt-cheeks. They both struggle to catch their breath and Claire's body eventually returns to a relaxed state.

Leon just looks up at her in awe. Her breasts bounce before him ever so slightly with each deep breath she takes. He shifts his position so that he can take her left nipple into his mouth. Claire chuckles, her breasts now feel so sensitive and he is rolling his tongue over them. She realizes he has yet to become soft and before long he continues to thrust up against her.

"Again? I don't know if I can take it," she admits.

"We can take it slow this time."

He lifts her up ever so slightly only to settle her back down on top of him. Now in a lotus position he is able to wrap his arms around her and feel her breasts pressed against his pecks. She is so warm, so soft, and compared to him feels like she weighs hardly anything at all. His hands remain cupped over her butt as he thrusts in little pulses into her already soaked pussy. He can feel their mixture of juices drip down over his balls and more continue to flow each time the corona of his cock pulls back from her cervix.

Claire's face is flushed red. He can see that she is already so exhausted but he can't resist her any longer. This is how things are meant to be and how neither of them could admit to it before is a mystery. Was it because they felt too young or is it because of the pressures of society weighing down on them that morally they should never even had sex before marriage? But none of that should truly matter. Love is all that matters and neither of them have witnessed more passion from any other couple, whither real or fictional, than the two of them are sharing right now. So then what is it? What is causing their love to feel so taboo? That they should put aside their own needs for the sake of others?

Leon studies the glow on Claire's face. She looks even more beautiful than ever and he didn't think that was possible. Her eyes are shut tightly, her puffy slips slightly a gape as she struggles to catch her breath, her pale skin clashes hard with the flush of her cheeks. She just looks so happy and it is all due to how good he is making her feel deep inside. He never wants this moment to fade. He wishes with all his might that he can stay with her, like this, forever.

"Claire I-" his heart flutters causing an ache to cut himself off.

She opens her eyes to look at him. "Yes? What is it?"

He bites his tongue. There is something he wants to ask her with every fiber of his being but he is afraid she will find it ridiculous. She stares into him still waiting for an answer. Instead he just places his hand on the back of her head and takes her deep into his mouth. They kiss vigorously unable to get close enough to calm the ache that builds stronger and stronger inside their chests. Still unable to hold himself back, his thrusts become quicker and faster and he doesn't stop until they both are crying to the heavens, praying that the ache will cease if only for a little while. Claire falls to his chest and he wraps his arms around her holding her against himself. He breaths in the scent of her hair wanting to absorb every last detail of their time together.

Claire caresses the tips of her fingers against his pecks admiring his masculine form. She can't imagine how much training he has had to endure to maintain such a body mass and yet it is all hers to enjoy. She feels his cock pulse a few more times before becoming limp and slipping out of her. Knowing a part of him is still inside of her makes her feel complete somehow and she wonders if he realizes just how special she feels because of it.

He rubs his hands over her back causing her to moan again. She can hear his heart skip a beat each time she does so. She finds it amazing how much he truly cares for her. She looks up at him and gives him a soft peck on the lips before rolling onto her side and snuggling up beside him. He brushes the hair out of her face and once again studies it. Within seconds she is fast asleep with her head resting against his shoulder. He pulls the sheet up from the foot of the bed and drapes it over them. He wraps his arm around her and for the first time in a long time he is able to allow the rest of the world to escape his thoughts and all that matters is her.

(Part 2 Epilogue)

After being only able to spend the next few days together, both of them are called away from home on separate missions. Terrorist attacks have been reported all across the country and with them both being highly involved with previous outbreaks they are at the top of the military and medical groups call in lists. Leon gains a status upgrade as a special agent for STRATCOM and Claire is recruited into TerraSave.


	4. Chapter 4

(Part 3 Prologue)

A possible viral outbreak is reported in a small town just outside the red zone of Raccoon City. Feeling obligated to check it out, Claire volunteers as one of the members of TerraSave to be transferred over to the site immediately. She prays throughout the whole trip that it is just a false report mixed with a coincidental location, but if it isn't then the US could be looking at another disaster just waiting to strike.

By the time her plane reaches its destination the area has already been barricaded and quarantined. When she asked to be allowed to speak with those in custody she is warned that once she enters the quarantine area she will not be let out again until they are sure no infection has been able to spread. She tells them she understands the risks and they allow her inside.

(Fall 2000)

Having finished up her observations for the day, Claire calls up Chris to let him in on the good news.

"So how much longer are you going to be held up in quarantine?" He asks.

"Shouldn't be more than a couple of days. I'm just glad TerraSave got wind of this infection before it had a chance to spread," she replies.

"So you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little home sick but other than that I think I'll live," she chuckles.

"Tell you what, how about Jill and I swing by your place when you get home? We can all go out together for old time sake."

"That sounds incredible right now actually. Thanks, Chris."

"Hey, what's a big brother for?"

"I don't know. I am still trying to figure that one out," she teases.

"Nice," he replies bluntly. "But seriously, I love you so you come home safe you hear me?"

"I love you too. Talk to you soon." She hangs up and stuffs the phone into her pocket.

Sitting on her cot the area around her has become very quiet. Everyone has settled down for the night and is exhausted from all the medical efforts over these last couple weeks. She rubs her forehead feeling the tension pressing down on her brow. Even though she is still young she feels like so much of her youth is being drained away by stress.

Suddenly the low hum of a helicopter vastly approaches. At first she expects it to just fly by considering nothing has been reported astray in the area. She steps out from her tent into the parking lot and watches intently as the helicopter hovers and then lands in the nearby vicinity. Other members of the TerraSave team come out from their tents to join in on her gazing.

"What's going on?" One of them asks.

Claire just shakes her head as she approaches the chain-link barricade. She focuses her eyes hard to be able to see the group of military personnel hopping out from the helicopter. She sees a glimpse of a strapping man with mid-length, blond, hair. Her heart flutters but she tells herself, 'That couldn't possibly be him.' She struggles to get a clear view past the other structures and vehicles between the quarantine zone and where they landed. Even more unexpectedly the soldiers make they way over to them as if ready for something to go down.

Everyone moves to the entrance gate impatiently waiting for an explanation. Still under quarantine, Claire is unable to get close enough to clearly hear what the soldiers are saying but she is able to get a better view of their faces and there is no doubt about it that Leon is among them.

"What is he doing here?" She whispers to herself. She waits for the conversation to be over then as the soldiers leave the front gate she can no longer restrain herself. "Leon?" She calls out towards him.

He looks around then notices her red hair among the parking lot's overhead lights.

"Claire?" He calls back excitedly.

Realizing that it is in fact her he hurries over to her side. They marvel at each other through the metal blockade.

"Leon, we have to stop meeting like this," Claire teases.

She gives him the same smile from that day back in the garden and it is as if he is seeing it for the very first time. Not matter how much he tries to keep her face pictured in his mind it is never as beautiful as the real thing.

"Not if it means never getting the chance to see you again," he says taking things just a bit more seriously than she is.

"So what's going on? Why are you here?"

"There has been word of some infectious animals in the area. My team and I have come to sweep the neighboring forest to ensure that nothing slipped out of the quarantine zone."

Claire shakes her head. "But that is impossible. What few people were sick none of them were far enough along to spread the infection to the nearby wildlife."

"Yeah well hopefully it is just a false alarm, but we don't want to take any chances, right?"

"You're right, but in the off chance the call in might be real, I want you to be careful, okay?"

"Of course."

Desperately wanting to feel his skin against hers, Claire is about to set her fingers through the chain-link when they hear a shout from one of the commanding officers.

"Kennedy! Watch your proximity on that fence!" They holler aggressively.

He just gives them a nod then turns back to Claire saddened.

"I'm sorry. I have to get back to work," he explains.

"I understand."

"Hey, we're going to get through this, just like we always do, and afterward I have something I want to discuss with you."

"Can't you just tell me now?"

He shakes his head. "We'll have plenty of time to talk about it later. I'll catch you soon."

He forces himself to move away from her before he can do anything that will cause her to break quarantine.

"Good luck!" She shouts.

He pounds his fist against his chest as he continues his way back to the helicopter pad to join up with the others.

Two days have passed and the STRATCOM team has come up empty. No infected, no bodies, not even disturbed plant life. Everyone releases a sigh of relief knowing that they can all finally rest easy, at least for now.

A good portion of the TerraSave group is sent home while those who still were showing signs of infection are moved to a nearby facility to be treated. Claire has volunteered to be one of the members to stay at the site until everyone is able to move on. Even with the patients having been moved there is still much work for her to do. Meetings, paper work, all the kinds of things that pile up until after the immediate threat has been naturalized.

While sitting at her desk and going over her latest reports, Leon and a few members of his team enter her tent without warning. She turns to them confused.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" She asks.

Leon speaks up, "We've come to collect any data that you might have on the incident. We don't want to leave any lead overlooked."

"Well yeah sure... all the data is stored on my laptop. But what do you need it for?"

"I'm sorry. That information is on a need-to-know bases ordered by the US military."

He steps over and retrieves the laptop then hands it to one of his team mates who immediately walks off with it.

"Hey wait, that is my personal log book, you guys can't just take that," she protests.

"Don't worry. I'll be sure it gets placed into good hands. Any info we find not pertaining to this event will be sent back to you on a USB card."

Like any other soldier he leaves without anything further to say.

"But... Leon, wait!"

He doesn't even look back and allows the tent flap to close behind him. She slumps back down into her chair and presses her fingertips against her forehead feeling a massive headache about to strike.

"God damn it, Leon," she huffs.

Later that evening Claire is at the local cafeteria with the rest of her remaining team for dinner. The military have taken back their supplies leaving TerraSave with what little they brought along with them. Lucky for them the locals are grateful and have decided to do what they can to keep them close as a kind of comfort.

Feeling the need for a shower, Claire heads next door to the adjacent gymnasium. She strips herself of her dirty clothes and leaves her two-way radio face up on a bench just in case someone needs to get into contact with her. As she is scrubbing shampoo into her hair she hears the radio go off.

"Redfield, please return to the cafeteria. We're about to start a meeting. I repeat, Redfield please return to the cafeteria ASAP."

"Just great," she gripes as she tries to quickly scrub the shampoo back out of her hair.

She gets dressed, grabs her radio, then steps out into the hall. It is eerily quiet. For a moment it almost feels as if a zombie is just going to poke its head up from one of the dark, sideroom's windows. She tries not to fill her head with such thoughts and moves quickly to get back to the cafeteria. As she passes an open hall she is suddenly grabbed by something but before she has time to scream a hand cups over her mouth and she is pulled into the nearby closet. As the door shuts behind her enclosing her into the small space, it takes her a moment to realize the person standing before her. He moves his hand from her mouth then holds a finger up to his signaling for her to be quiet as he uses his other hand to switch off his radio.

"Leon, what the fu-"

Before she has time to finish he presses his mouth hard into hers. His tongue quickly enfolds hers as he lifts her up by her thighs and wraps them around his waist. She feels his erect cock caressing against the crotch of her jeans which causes her hormones to skyrocket. It has been over six months since the last time they have been together and their bodies run hot being in each others presence. Though it pains her Claire realizes this is not an appropriate time for them to be doing something like this.

"Leon. Leon! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

He looks at her confused. "What's wrong? I thought you would want this as much as I do."

"I do. Really, I do, but we can't right now."

"I don't understand. It's not like anyone is gonna know we're in here."

"It's not that."

"So what is it then?"

"It just doesn't feel right. I mean _here_. An old, dusty, broom closet?"

He takes a moment to collect himself then allows her legs to touch back to the floor.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"It's just that for some reason when we're apart I can contain myself, you know? But seeing you, here of all places after so long... I just couldn't help but think that this is suppose to happen."

"I get it. I do, but I want our reunion to be special. Not just some secret quickie, at a gym, when we're suppose to be on duty."

"I'm sorry, Claire. You're right, we should focus on the task at hand."

He moves to open the door but then the ache in Claire's heart causes her to cry out, "Wait!"

She pulls him back to her and gives him another deep kiss. He holds her close and they just stand like that together as minuets pass like seconds. Eventually they stop and look into one another.

"I've dreamed about you, every night when I shut my eyes," Leon confesses. "I do my best to hold onto your beauty within my memory, but it is never enough."

"Is this the something-you-wanted-to-decuss with me?" His smile fades then he shakes his head. "What's wrong?"

"I wanted to wait until we were somewhere private but I don't think I can hide it from you any longer."

"Hide what?" She has no idea what he could be so upset about.

"I saw her again, Ada." He takes a breath to calm himself. "At first I was happy just to know she was alive but then I discovered that she's still working as a spy. I thought maybe she would have stopped after what happened but..." he isn't sure how to continue.

"Leon, why are you telling me this?" He just lowers his head ashamed of himself. "Do you love her?" He turns away from her unable to look her in the eye and give her an answer. She places her hand on his cheek to get him to look at her once again. "Look, Leon... I'm not mad at you or anything for having feelings for this other woman. I just don't want you to feel like you're trapped in a relationship with me if it's not what you really want."

He tightens his arms around her feeling as if he is about to lose her. "That's not how I feel at all. I love you, Claire. I love you more than anything else in this whole world. That's why I want to be as honest with you as I can and never hide my feelings from you."

"So then why?"

"I just hate myself for it. Even though I know who she is and what atrocities she has most likely caused, I just can't let her go. That isn't fair to you. All my passion, all my wants should be for you."

"I appreciate how much you care but you can't keep beating yourself up over this. You can't help how you feel. I know that from my own personal experiences. As long as there is still love between us that is all I care about."

He gives her a smirk. "You're amazing. I hope you realize that."

She leans into him and gives him another tender kiss. They stop when they hear the pitter patter of many feet stomping throughout the building.

"Their looking for us," Claire points out.

"We can let them sweat it out a little longer," he says while trying to continue to kiss her.

She stops him. "I look forward to having coffee with you in the morning but for now I think we really need to get back on track."

He huffs. "I know you're right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

They both turn their radios back on and their team members are all in a panic wondering where they could have gone off to. They both answer their radios one at a time to calm the situation then look deep into each others eyes. Leon leans towards Claire one last time and gives her a soft peck on the mouth then they both make themselves proper to rejoin their teammates.

In the morning they are both given a lift back to Claire's apartment. Once inside they realize it is very dark and cold. Something about it just doesn't seem like home anymore. They've gotten so use to sleeping on cots and bunk-beds that the idea of being able to lie down on an actual mattress just seems like such a foreign concept at this point.

Claire flicks on the lights then they allow their luggage to fall to the floor. She then shuts and locks the door behind them and turns on the newly installed security system. Ever since her run in with Wesker she has never quite felt the same about the apartment, but at the same time she is not ready to just pack up all her things and start a new life all over again.

She heads into the kitchen and Leon is quick to follow her. She pours them both a mug of tea then plops herself down on one of the dinning chairs. He takes a seat across from her and recognizes that she has something on her mind. She just stares down into the rim of her mug watching the hot water cause little swirls along the surface. He reaches his hand over to hers and grips her fingers.

"Are you alright? Do you need us to talk about something?" He asks. She just shakes her head.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just tired. Tired of all the fighting and the stress. I just wish things could go back to the way they use to be, you know? I often wonder... if you and I never ran into each other at that gas station... would either of us still be alive?" She sighs, "My life use to be so simple before. Bordering on boring even. Then it went from zero to sixty so fast that I don't even know who I am anymore. I don't take time for me anymore."

She gazes up at him for only a split second to see the glaze over his eyes then she lifts her mug up to her lips and takes a big sip. Feeling another headache coming on she stands up from her chair and walks over to the cabinet to grab some medicine. She pops two pills into her mouth then drinks them down along with another gulp of tea.

Leon steps up behind her and begins massaging her back. Immediately her body gives over to the sensation and she lets out a soft moan. His fingers crawl up from her lower back all the way to her shoulders moving in little circles along the way. She leans her head forward and he caresses his fingers up into her hairline causing her to moan again.

"Since when have you known how to give massages?" She asks.

"This is my first time," he chuckles.

She turns to face him and looks up into his crystal blue eyes.

"Tell me, what thoughts do you have floating in that head of yours? Do you not feel the same way I do?"

"It's not that I don't feel the same way, it's that I tell myself that even though we have to be apart, sometimes even months at a time, it is all worth it to see you alive and well. If we don't stop these terrorists then who knows how far these infections could spread and I don't ever want to see you in a position like the one we were in back at Raccoon City ever again."

He sets his hand over her cheek and caresses it with his thumb. Just being able to feel its warm sensation against his palm causes his heart to throb uncontrollably. It feels so incredible that they are the ones who have made this possible. When the rest of the world had given up and left them for dead it was their sheer willpower that pulled them through and no one can say otherwise.

Claire takes him by the hand and leads him towards the bathroom. In silence they stand in the middle of the tiled floor and slowly help each other to get undressed. As they stand naked before one another they take a moment to study each other's scars. Leon has many circular style bruises and scars among his chest from various war wounds sustained by gunfire. Fortunately none of them seem to have been life threatening except for the one on his left shoulder. The one he got that day in the sewers when he jumped to protect Ada. Claire gives the scar a tender kiss then her eyes trail upward to the bite mark that is still partially visible just above his collarbone. She gives it a kiss as well then returns her gaze to his eyes.

She speaks softly not wanting to ruin the calm mood they have built, "I still find it crazy... all the factors that had to fall into place for both of us to escape without infection. The bites, the scratches, any one of them could have turned us into one of those things."

She turns around to expose her back to him. Leon suddenly realizes that he hasn't ever seen her bareback before now. He is shocked when she reveals to him that she has a large, pink, scar that was once a gash that starts at the middle of her right rub-cage then at a diagonal it trails down to the left side of her lower back.

"Oh my god," he gasps. "How did you get that?"

"From one of those red creatures, a Licker or whatever it was. The one you killed at the station wasn't the only one. There were three more of them just waiting to pounce on anything that moved inside the car garage that night. I tried to sneak past them but I guess I wasn't quick enough, and just as I was able to escape through an open doorway, one slashed at me and gave me this. The only reason I was able to survive is because I found these mysterious herbs that were known to have remarkable healing abilities. I found it nonsense at first of course, but when I rubbed the mixture against my skin it somehow instantly made me feel so much better. It even kept me from becoming infected. It's all just so crazy."

He traces his fingers over the scar line then takes hold of her hips. He holds himself against her back and kisses along her shoulder. She reaches her hand behind her and scratches at the back of his neck. His hands slide up from her hips to her breasts and he squeezes them between his fingers. He has forgotten just how incredibly soft they feel. The longer he plays with them the harder her nipples become and soon they are just little bumps rubbing against his palms. Before long his erection joins in on the massage and rubs against the crease of her butt. He is so soft and yet so hard at the same time. They just remain like that for the longest moment, admiring each other's bodies as if it were the first time, but then she turns to face him. She is already in a daze from his incredible touch.

"Leon?" She asks softly.

"Yes? What is it?" He looks to her with those same eyes she remembers seeing back at the Raccoon City police station. Those eyes that make her feel like all his attention is now focused on her and it always makes her never want to look away.

"I need to know something." *He doesn't say anything. Just nods and keeps his eyes focused hard on hers as if his entire being is dedicated to what she is about to say. This makes a shiver travel up her spin. She is both nervous but also overjoyed. "How serious are you about... us? Are we just gonna keep going like this, or... is there an end goal that you have in mind?"

He takes her by the hand and leads her into the shower. As the water starts to cascade down their faces, they are once again reminded of that unforgettable night that they first met. Even though so much has happened between the two of them, the fact that they are still both able to share such a moment together gets their hearts racing fast.

Leon closes the glass door behind them then takes Claire's hands into his own. Entwining their fingers together as if to never let go, as he says softly,* "Of course I don't want this to be it. I want to share the rest of my life with you, Claire. No matter if it is here in this apartment, or perhaps some mansion somewhere down the line."  
She chuckles a bit put off by that word. "No more mansions for me thanks."

It takes him a moment to understand why she said that, but then he just chuckles back suddenly remembering what she went through back on Rockfort Island. "Fair enough." He leans into her slowly and gives her a loving peck on the mouth. He then pulls back just a bit to see her reaction. When she responds by nuzzling her nose to his and then leaning into him, his heart flutters to know she wants this just as badly as he does. He closes the gap between them once again. Pressing his lips to hers so deep that she ends up taking a step back to balance herself against the wall. Them both now breathing heavily, his hands travel up her arms, her shoulders, to her neck, where he places both his palms in such a way that he is holding her in place to kiss her long and passionately.

Their moans fill each other's mouths and echo off the shower walls. No doubt if they get any louder the neighbors are going to know what's up, but they are not concerning themselves with that. Instead their kiss gets even deeper. The two of them both tongue wrestling to see who can be inside the other deeper. Leon already knows he has this battle beat however. Not with his tongue but with another warm muscle of his. To prove this point, he takes Claire by the leg and starts to lift it up to open her up to him. The tip of his fully erect cock kisses at her clit again and again. Teasing her as they continue to make out.

Before long however the feeling becomes too much for her to bare. She tosses her head back against the wall and lets out a desperate cry of desire, "Aaaaahh! Leon! Please! I need this! I need you!"

Her pleads make him smile wide. "You're so incredibly beautiful," his voice is so soft at this point that she can hardly hear him over the sound of the shower. Instead of granting her request however, he decides to tease her for just a bit longer. They have both been waiting to share another moment like this for so long and he doesn't want it to be over just yet. So he instead kisses at her neck for a bit. Feeling her shiver and melt against him as he chest becomes compressed against hers. The hot water makes everything a bit slippery, but he just takes hold of the little handle on the side of the shower and then starts to buck his hips against her.

Claire can't believe the way he is acting around her right now. The young rookie she once knew has grown up so much in such a short period of time. His muscle mass is thicker, his stance a bit taller, but his confidence seems to be the thing that has grown the most. At least when it comes to her. She can still see something longing within him however. She is not sure yet what it is, but she knows it has to be something big. She doesn't get much time to think it over however, as Leon's length starts to slip between her folds, and his tip makes its way up to her sweet spot with each passing thrust. Her hands wrap around to the back of his head and her leg around his waist. They both let out an audible moan that comes out shaky due to them both craving this for so long.

Leon's legs shake a bit as he bucks one final time to glide himself all the way up inside her tight pussy. His tip twitches again and again as it greets her sweet spot and immediately releases a dab of pre-cum that swims towards her womb with such purpose to knock her up and claim her as his own forever. Now all the way inside, he just holds his stance for the longest moment to calm himself. His hand grips the shower bar so tightly he could swear he could bend it in his grasp. Her walls clench over his length again and again. Begging him to continue and release more of his nectar inside her.

She notices his reaction and gives him another loving kiss to assure him. He kisses her back and then uses his free hand to lift her leg up even higher. It slides up from his butt to his waist and suddenly he feels himself slip into her that much deeper. His tip kissing at her cervix while he still holds himself against her. They both shut their eyes for a moment since the room has started to spin. The both of them already reaching their limit and they have only just started.

After another long moment, Leon starts to move. Thrusting his cock all the way back to her entrance only to slip all the way back up to her cervix. Each time he does, Claire's voice becomes hotter and hotter. Her panting increases and this only entices him to want to fuck her harder. He grunts and moans as he uses all his upper body strength to keep their balance. The lewd sound of their genitals slapping up against one another, while the shower water trickles down their bodies, then spreading along the tile floor. Feeling he is still unable to get deep enough however, Leon lets go of the shower bar and lifts Claire's other leg up off the floor. Now making her completely at his mercy as he thrusts into her hard and fast.

Claire is once again surprised by his actions. She isn't sure where he suddenly got all this confidence, but she likes it. The way his hands grip her butt as his mouth hungers for her lips, neck, and breasts makes her feel like she is the only woman in the world. Even though she knows he has desires for another woman, she can't deny his feelings for her in the slightest. Not with how incredible he is making her feel at this very moment. His perfect cock gliding back and forth against her walls, his tip quivering against her sweet spot, and his pre-cum filling her womb more and more with each passing thrust. This desire of his is all for her. She wants to reward him for such emotions, but the only way for her to do that at this very moment is to just show him she feels the same by kissing him over and over. She feels like there is so much she wants to say, but instead her voice just comes out as panting moans. "Aaaah! Aaaah! A-Aaahaa!"

Hearing her make such cute sounds sends Leon past his limit. He has been trying to hold out for her just as soon as he felt her body lock with his, but he can't any longer. "Oh god, Claire! You're so amazing! I'm gonna cum so hard for you! Please cum with me! Aaaah! Mmmfff!"

She opens her eyes to look at him with so much lust written over her face. Her arms remain tight around his neck. Her slippery back gliding up and down the cold shower wall as he continues to lift her with each passing thrust. "I'm so close! Just a little bit more! Don't stop, Leon! Aaaah, don't stop!"

His whole body shivers again as he shoves his mouth hard into hers to silence her. Her voice just being to damn cute for him to handle and her lustful face also making it hard for him to hold out. He tries his damnedest for her however. Keeping his pace steady so that he doesn't climax too quickly. His body begs for hers to climax. His curve rubbing at her sweet spot again and again. Wanting so badly to feel that euphoric moment where her walls suddenly tighten around him even more than they already are. They moan into each others mouths louder and louder until finally it happens. Her pussy invites him all the way inside, clamps down on his shaft, and he erupts his warm cum deep into her womb. Their lips part so that they can both take in a long, heavy, breath. Their voices shake as their orgasms reach their peak. Leon nearly loses his balance with his legs becoming weak again, but he manages to grip her just a bit more so they stay pined against the wall.

Claire's nails have dug into the back of his head at this point. Her pussy feeling so hot and tense as string after string of his love juices fill her to the brim. She can already feel it starting to slip from her folds and onto the shower floor. Some day she hopes that such a precious action wont be just for pleasure, but that was a thought for another time. Right now all she cares about is him and wanting to be sure he is as happy as can be with her.

As they ride their post-coital bliss, Claire loosens her grip a bit so she can look him in the face. He is so handsome with his face flushed and his eyes glossy. Looking into his eyes once again however is what suddenly causes her to want to ask him a serious question. She needs to know why she gets this feeling like even though he looks happy on the outside, he seems to be sad on the inside. Not that she can blame him after everything that they have been through, but still she needs to know that it's not anything to do with her.

Just as she is about to open her mouth to ask however, Leon surprises her with a question of his own. "Claire, will you marry me?" He says bluntly while he pants still out of breath.

She is caught off guard and looks at him puzzled. "What?" Her voice comes out a bit more harsher than she expected, but she really wasn't expecting him to say that.

"Will you marry me?" He asks again, this time even more confident than the last although she can tell he is still quite nervous due to the higher pitched tone of his voice. She becomes speechless. "You see. I knew it would be a dumb question to ask," his posture suddenly becomes less confident as his eyes move away from his.

Her heart sinks a little to see his mood change so drastically just because she isn't sure how to reply at a moments notice. She places her hand over his cheek to turn his attention back to hers. "Stop talking like that. I'm sorry that my reaction is probably not what you were hoping for, but I would have never guessed you would ask me that in a million years."

"So will you?" He repeats sternly. So desperate to know if she wants the same things he does.

"Right now?" She asks still a bit confused.

He chuckles, "Of course not. I mean, once all of this is over. When we can finally settle down, maybe have a few puppies..."

"Puppies?" She laughs.

"Yeah. Would that be a problem?" He looks to her with serious eyes. Not wanting to over step his bounds.

She finds his reply incredibly cute. But she is a bit relieved to know at least he doesn't want to push things between them all the way before even getting the chance to settle down first. "I don't see why not," she replies with a wide grin.

He smiles as he settles her down onto the floor. His soft cock slipping from her dripping folds as his hands move up from her hips to her waist. Still wanting her to be as close as possible as he says, "You asked me how serious I was about us and so this was the best way I could think to show you just how much I care. So what do you say?"

She takes in a deep breath. Her heart is racing so fast she feels like it could leap out from her chest at any second. Her body shivers and tears start to slip from her eyes. "I will," she replies cheerfully.

His heart skips a beat and he lets out a gasp in shock. With his body suddenly taking over, he wraps his arms tightly around her and he hugs her head to his chest as if to pull her inside himself. "Thank you, Claire. I love you. Oh fuck, I love you so much." He fights back his own tears but loses the battle. He is only grateful that with them being in the shower she can't see him cry. Little does he know she can hear it in his voice though. There is no masking the emotions they are sharing at this very moment.

After what feels like hours, they finally release the hug and give each other one more long, passionate, kiss before stepping out from the shower to dry themselves off. Now with the both of them feeling both physically as well as mentally exhausted, they get ready for bed and fall asleep in each other's arms with very few words escaping either of them. For now just being together is enough and they don't want to risk words soiling such a perfect reunion.

The next morning Leon wakes up first to get himself a cup of tea. Being so use to getting very little sleep on his travels, he feels more awake than ever when he finds himself still at Claire's side. Finding her just as beautiful as the first time he saw her, he gives her a kiss on the forehead as she sleeps, then as quietly as he can, he gathers up some clothes, then makes his way out into the kitchen to make them breakfast.

It's only a few minuets later that Claire is woken up as well by the sound of her phone vibrating. She rubs her eyes annoyed that she has been roused from her peaceful slumber, but that annoyance soon fades when she realizes it is her brother calling. She sits up and answers it with a concerned, "Hey, Chris. What's up?"

She can hear his voice reply calmly on the other side, "Just checking in on my little sister. How are you doing, Claire? You and Leon have a nice 'chat' last night?" He teases.

Normally she would return his tease with a shy 'shut up' but this morning she feels there is no time for jokes. After what Leon asked her yesterday, she needs this talk with her brother to be a serious one. "So... about that..."  
Chris can tell right away that something is bothering her, so he asks concerned, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Trying to calm herself enough to be able to say what she needs to, she takes in a deep breath, hugs the bed pillow up against her chest, and then looks to the bedroom door for a moment to listen if Leon is nearby. She can hear him cooking away down the hall and so she speaks quietly so that he doesn't know she is awake just yet. She lets out her breath slowly. "Leon... he... asked me... to marry him... last night."

Chris is shocked but also overjoyed. He didn't think Leon would ever have the balls to ask such a question. "Wow! Congratulations! That's amazing! I mean... isn't it?"

She starts to whimper as she has to force out her next words from her tightened voice, "I'm sure it's all just a farce. Of all people I'm sure the three of us know that the bio-terrorism is never going to stop, so for him to ask me of such a thing to happen once 'it' is all over... it's just... a silly thing to hope for, right?"

"So that's how you really feel?" Leon says in a solemn voice, having been listening to her ever since she started crying.

Claire turns towards the bedroom door to find Leon standing aggressively in the doorway. Her heart skips a beat realizing he must have heard everything she just said. "Leon... I didn't mean-"

"I know exactly what you meant, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." He shakes his head as if he wants to say something. He lets out a frustrated sigh. Without another word he heads towards the front door.

Claire jumps out of bed to chase after him. "Leon, wait!"

He doesn't look back or even hesitate for a second. He steps out from the apartment, into the hall, and slams the door behind him. Claire falls to the couch bursting into tears. Her whole body suddenly feels empty and cold. It makes her feel so sick for a moment she think she might throw up.

"Claire? Claire, are you okay? What happened?" Chris yells to her still on the other end of he line.

She lifts the phone up to her ear slowly. Her hand shaking like crazy. "I really fucked up this time, Chris."

"Everything will be alright. Just give him a little while to cool off."

"No. I don't think he'll be coming back. Not this time." Her voice tightens as she starts to hyperventilate.

"Don't go anywhere. I'm coming over," he demands.

"Okay." She immediately hangs up the phone and continues to sob into her palms. She wanted everything to finally be alright, but of course she had to show her doubt and that is the last thing any of them need right now. She tells herself she just isn't ready. That the world is too engulfed in flame still for them to settle down and pretend like everything will work itself out. She can't help but wonder when she will see the silky haired rookie again.


End file.
